Cruising out to the yacht I had seen from the shore the nerves of being around westerners hit me. At first I stayed hidden in the peaceful bubble of being an observer, safe behind the lens. But as the sky darkened the laugher and the ocean called and I found myself diving into the inky black sea. The constellations were in full force that night and as I lay on my back watching the night sky friendships were formed.
The beauty of traveling for me is so much about being exposed to and soaking up the different cultures. Living life as a local which is easy for me in Lombok as there are friends in the villages I have had since I was 13. Sitting on the veranda on Mia and Man’s shop eating dinner I feel right at home. They are family to me and have been for quite some time. We can talk of life and love in true depth that knows no language barriers. But the other side to traveling is meeting those kindred spirits, finding other travels on the same path as you whose acceptance and love for the culture is inline with your own. It’s those kind of connections that I crave and that I was lucky enough to find once again out in the inky sea.
